Gangtok: Sikkim government on Friday tabled an
amendment bill in the state assembly proposing a substantial
increase in the pay and perks of Chief Minister, ministers,
Speaker and deputy Speaker.
Sikkim Ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Members of
Legislative Assembly (Salaries and Allowances) Amendment Bill,
2010, tabled in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister
DN Takarpa, has proposed to increase the salary of Chief
Minister to Rs 50,000 and an additional sumptuary allowance of
Rs 30,000.
The Speaker`s salary has been raised to Rs 45,000 in
addition to sumptuary allowance of Rs 25,000, while the
ministers and the deputy Speaker will get a salary of Rs
40,000 each and sumptuary allowance of Rs 20,000 each under
the proposal.
The revision of the salaries and allowances has been made
after a gap of nine years keeping in view the rise in the
Consumer Price Index and high inflation, Takarpa said while
tabling the bill.
The pay hike for the elected representatives will cost
Rs 1.23 crores per year from the Consolidated Fund of Sikkim.
The bill will be discussed by the members of the state
legislature tomorrow before being put to vote for its passage.
The SDF government has also proposed to increase the
pension of ex-legislators to a minimum of Rs 6,000 per month
and Rs 8,000 to any member having served in the House for more
than five years.
It was proposed to insert a clause for life long pension
of Rs 8,500 to all ex-members who have served as member of the
House for more than five years.
While tabling the bill for raising the pension of the
ex-MLAs, Takarpa said the state government felt that the
existing pension was inadequate and needed to be revised in
view of increase in the Consumer Price Index and inflation.
A financial burden of Rs 22.04 lakh will be incurred on
payment of increased pension to ex-MLAs.
The pension of former MLAs was increased last time
in 2004, Takarpa said.
PTI
